Daniel’s fans began to protest on the side.
“That was real, wasn’t it?”
“What is he doing with our precious boy?”
“This guy is a pretty good actor, though, no?”
“Fake fan! You should only be looking at Daniel.”
The staff members were also apprehensive, but they knew that the scene was too good to stop now.
Daniel thought that Man-shik PD was going to stop the scene right then and there. However, Zeno continued with his act.
“You think I’m useless too, huh?” he said in such a loud voice that some of the people watching flinched.
Daniel felt like he was getting eaten alive. Not literally, of course—but through this guy’s acting.
How could someone like him intimidate a real actor like Daniel?
Beom cleared his throat, clenching his fist and raising it in the air. The conflict was seen in his eyes before he shook his head. He was about to walk away when Zeno kicked him again.
Like his punch, this one was real, too.
“Fucking coward,” he chuckled, showing his teeth.
Daniel felt a shiver run down his spine as he looked at his face. His eyes appeared bloodshot like he hadn’t slept in days.
Without any warning, the drunk man punched him again. This time, it was in the abdomen, causing Beom to hover in pain. He dropped to the ground, his eyes looking at the drunk man in disbelief.
Man-shik PD watched the scene intently. Because Daniel was a relatively new actor, he was undeniably stiff in some of the scenes—especially the ones they had filmed earlier. However, paired with this non-actor, it felt as if his acting had improved.
In reality, though, Daniel just couldn’t believe that someone like Zeno would hit him for real.
The drunkard grabbed the Teddy Bear, but Beom held onto it for dear life.
‘You’re not taking this away from me, you fucker!’ Daniel thought, not wanting to lose to this beggar anymore.
“Yes, this is the desperation I need,” Man-shik said, a smile finally lighting his face.
The assistant looked at him with relief. The director seemed to be in a good mood now!
After a few more tugs, the drunk man finally let go of the teddy bear, causing Beom to hit the ground. He looked pathetic yet courageous at the same time.
‘It’s over,’ Zeno thought, internally sighing in relief.
He grabbed Beom’s watch instead, grumbling incomprehensible words under his breath. He stopped for a moment, feeling like something was missing.
So, he gave another blow to Beom’s head—a kick this time.
With that, he walked out of frame, signaling the end of the scene.
Once he was out of frame, Zeno went back to his usual expression. Man-shik PD was yet to call “cut,” so the assistant director nudged his side.
“Oh,” he muttered. “CUT!”
The cameras stopped rolling, and the people watching began to discuss what they had seen.
“What was that?”
“Why did I feel so immersed?'”
“Do we have the take? Or do we have to shoot another one?”
Zeno overheard the last statement and shook his head. It was done! He had memorized the script and followed everything in it except for breaking the bottle and kicking Daniel’s head.
Now, he needed to be compensated.
Since the cameras weren’t rolling anymore, he walked closer to Man-shik PD, who was reviewing the scene with bright eyes. However, before he could even reach him, Daniel called for his attention.
“Hey, beggar!”
Zeno stopped in his tracks and pointed to himself.
The others also stopped what they were doing.
“Why did you hit me for real?” Daniel asked, crossing his arms in front of his chest. “Do you know that an actor’s asset is his face and body?”
Zeno raised his eyebrows. “Is it not their skill to act?” he asked.
Daniel’s eyes narrowed.
“A doctor’s asset is his expertise to heal.”
“A construction worker’s merit is his ability to build.”
“An idol’s strength lies in his talent to entertain.”
“But I guess an actor’s asset is his face and body,” Zeno said, repeating what Daniel had told him a while ago.
Daniel’s face became red. “What are you talking about?”
“If those are your only assets, you should think twice about the field you are in,” Zeno said, looking him straight in the eyes.
“Trust me. I’ve seen a lot of people regret the path they took because it didn’t match well with them.”
‘Ah,’ Zeno thought. ‘I am so kind to be giving him this type of advice.’
In reality, though, Zeno just didn’t want Daniel to end up like all the other people who had sought help from Avalis! They had way too many missions these days, hence his lack of rest.
The people around them began whispering.
Daniel felt their judging stares and was about to explode.
However, before Daniel could retaliate, Zeno had already walked away and stood in front of Man-shik PD.
With a blank expression, he held out his hand to him.
“My money.”